Pros and Cons of Commercial Rubber Flooring

From hospitals and schools to gyms and kitchens, rubber flooring provides a unique and versatile approach to commercial flooring. Rubber continues to be an ideal solution for areas that face heavy foot traffic and can also be a cushioning agent that reduces fatigue and foot injury. However, when it comes to searching for the right flooring solution for your facility, rubber might not be the first thing that comes to mind. Therefore, by taking a look at some of the pros and cons of commercial rubber flooring, it will be up to you to distinguish if the good outweighs the bad.

PROS

Recyclable

Highly Durable

Dimensionally Stable

Easy to Maintain

Homogeneous Construction

Stain, Mold, and Mildew Resistant

Slip Resistant

Fire Retardant

Comfortable – Easy on Back and Feet

Sound absorbent and Static Resistant

CONS

‘Rubbery’ Smell – Diminishes with time

Detergents and grease can discolor the surface

Finishes can be rather dull to some

Can be more costly than other options ($6-$7 per sq/ft)

Commercial Rubber Flooring Options

As you can see, rubber flooring is extremely versatile and can be used in a wide variety of commercial settings. However, it is imperative that you select the best application for your facility to achieve the greatest investment for your budget. Commercial rubber flooring is available in one of three options:

Rubber Floor Rolls

The installation of rubber floor rolls can be compared to that of traditional rolls of broadloom carpeting. Both can be installed directly over an existing subfloor using either tape or glue adhesives.

Rubber Floor Tiles

Rubber floor tiles are best suited for commercial facilities that would like to implement a floating floor. This is because these tiles are designed to be loose laid, and without the need of adhesives or double-sided tape.

Rubber Floor Mats

If you want to cover a large space without installing a permanent solution, consider rubber floor mats. These mats can be used at entrances to prevent slips and falls, as well as helping to preserve the longevity of your flooring.

There is no single, perfect flooring solution. Each market is unique. Each project has a life of its own. But the best flooring option will be apparent when examining these considerations, applying evidence-based design principles and implementing value engineering and life cycle cost analysis.

To learn more, check out our beginner’s guide to commercial flooring products. You’ll read about which factors to consider when selecting a commercial flooring product for every room in your facility, from cost to aesthetics to application. Read it now.

The beginner’s guide to flooring products

At Spectra Contract Flooring, we’ve completed more than 350,000 flooring installations nationwide using every material on the market. We’ve created this introductory guide as a resource for those new to commercial flooring, giving you a rundown of flooring materials. It will cover several factors crucial to the success of your project.